Included flights selected by PONANT from/to Buenos Aires, transfers, full board, open bar on board, all landings and conferences…

Joining IAATO

PONANT is a full and proud member of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO). IAATO is an industry group organisation that sets the highest possible tourism operating standards in an effort to ensure appropriate, safe and environmentally sound travel to Antarctica.
Its rules include guidelines about maximal amount of passengers during shore landings, and other specific guidelines about wildlife watching, visitor briefings and key safety obligations on operators.

When to visit the Antarctic?

Antarctica is accessible only during the austral summer season, from November to March.
As landscapes and ecosystems vary depending on the places visited, the table below helps you select the period and itinerary that best meet your expectations.

A little corner of paradise in the shadow of a towering glacier, Neko Harbour is without a doubt one of the most beautiful sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. It was discovered by Belgian navigator Adrien de Gerlache during his 1897-1899 expedition. Mountains, ice and wildlife combine to form a truly unique landscape. Animals are as abundant as they are exotic: among others, you'll encounter seabirds (gulls, Cape petrels, cormorants) and marine mammals (seals, orcas and other whale species). Head out on a Zodiac® excursion to get up close to the icebergs, stop over near a penguin colony, watch a leopard seal sunbathe between dives and enjoy an impromptu aerial show from passing Antarctic terns.

Paradise Bay

Antarctic Peninsula

With its spectacular landscapes composed of towering glacial peaks plunging down into the icy waters of the Antarctic, Paradise Bay is true to its name. Discovered and named by whalers in the early 20th century, this protected natural site is currently home to a wide variety of fauna, from Antarctic cormorants and leopard seals to sheathbills and gentoo penguins, who mingle on the long stretch of rocky beaches. With some luck, you'll even be privy to an unforgettable underwater dance between passing humpback whales. During your excursion, head off to discover the old Argentine base Almirante Brown, which is only occupied for a few weeks each year, during the austral summer.

Port Lockroy

Antarctic Peninsula

During your cruise, you'll have the opportunity to stop over at Port Lockroy, a spectacular natural harbour nestled in the very heart of the Antarctic Peninsula on Goudier Island. Discovered by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot in 1903, the site has served over the years as a stopover for whaling ships, a British military base and later a research station. The port is currently one of the most visited sites in the Antarctic, thanks to its tiny museum which allows visitors to experience the base as it was in the 1950s and to take home a souvenir from its gift shop. While you're here, don't miss the chance to send your loved ones a post card from the southernmost post office in the world!

Deception Island

Antarctic Peninsula

Situated just above the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, Deception Island is easily recognisable thanks to its distinctive horseshoe shape. The crater of this former volcano caved in 10,000 years ago and the resulting caldera was flooded, creating a natural harbour. Deception Island still bears traces of its past as a longtime hub of the whaling industry. The vestiges of abandoned sheds that line the black sand of its volcanic beaches share space with the island's spectacular fauna: it is home to the Antarctic Peninsula’s largest colony of chinstrap penguins, as well as numerous elephant seals and fur seals.

Weddell Sea

Antarctic Peninsula

Amidst the eerie stillness of the Weddell Sea, you'll wend your way through a veritable labyrinth of majestic table icebergs. Sweeping ice platforms sculpt a landscape unlike any other, populated by fur seals, penguins, wandering albatross and other imposing seabirds. The Weddell seal, king of this realm, will welcome you to his territory with a haunting cry that pierces the surrounding silence. You'll recognise him by his dark grey coat and spotted belly. Weddell seals have the impressive distinction of being able to stay underwater for more than an hour.

Wilhelmina Bay

Antarctic Peninsula

Between 1897 and 1899, Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache led an Antarctic expedition aboard the Belgica. There, he discovered a quiet, protected bay which he named in honour of the Dutch queen, Wilhelmina of Orange-Nassau. In this enchanting place, towering mountains reflect off of still waters, offering up a magnificent and colourful feast for the eyes. Yet another source of wonder: humpback whales, majestic and frequent visitors to the bay, feed in the surrounding waters amidst a stunning seascape of ice floes and icebergs.

Half Moon

Antarctic Peninsula

Nestled among the South Shetland Islands in the icy waters of the Antarctic, Half Moon plunges visitors into a surreal and mystical setting. Long, jagged coastlines alternate with gently sloping bays, overlooked by petrified volcanic pipes. Camara, a former Argentine research station built at the centre of the island in 1953, still stands in the crook of a vast, crescent-shaped beach of large ash-coloured pebbles battered by icy electric-blue waves. Half Moon's wild lunar landscape is home to a number of animal species, including chinstrap penguins, fur seals, Weddell seals and Antarctic terns.

Petermann Island

Antarctic Peninsula

Located at the end of the famed Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island played a key role in the history of Antarctic exploration. In the early 20th century, French explorer Jean-Baptiste Charcot chose to ride out his second winter aboard the Pourquoi Pas? on the shores of this round, little island. The initials ‘PP’, engraved on the rocks by Charcot's crew, can still be seen at the spot where the ship was anchored. Today, the island is a privileged refuge for a rich and diverse fauna: numerous gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, imperial shags and other bird species settle here.

Lemaire Channel

Antarctic Peninsula

The Lemaire Channel is a narrow passageway that plunges straight into the sea between the high cliffs of Booth Island and the Antarctic Peninsula. It was discovered by the German explorer Eduard Dallmann in 1873, although he did not sail along it. It was mapped and traversed in 1898 by the Belgian explorer Adrien de Gerlache, who named it after his compatriot Charles Lemaire. The Lemaire Channel is 11 km long and 1.6 km wide. It is a spectacular site, considered to be one of the most beautiful passages in this part of the peninsula. At the channel’s northern tip stand a pair of tall, rounded and often snow-capped peaks called Una’s Peaks. Orcas, fin whales and seals regularly come through this natural corridor.

The Falkland Islands

Located to the south-east of South America, the Falkland Islands, renowned for their wildness, were discovered by a Spanish expedition at the beginning of the 16th century. More than 200 years later, sailors from Saint-Malo occupied the island and gave it the name used until the British conquered these lands in 1833. Surrounded by a grey and often wild sea, the islands are a small country of moors and rugged coastlines carved by the South Atlantic, where the wildlife and plant life form a link between Patagonia and Antarctica.

Salisbury Plain

South Georgia

Salisbury Plain is home to one of the most unforgettable natural vistas of South Georgia. Formed by the retreat of Grace Glacier, the same majestic peaks that once awed Shackleton still tower over the surrounding land. The island's bluish landscape exudes the magnificence and beauty of unspoilt nature. At the heart of this wild refuge, on the beaches of the bay, lies a colony of 300,000 king penguins. Amidst this sea of black and orange heads, fur seals and their young can be spotted nosing their way through the crowd. Under the pale austral sunlight that reflects off of the plain, flocks of birds are carried by the winds in a graceful show of nature's wonder.

Fortuna Bay

South Georgia

Situated at the foot of sharply-rising mountains, Fortuna Bay is a truly dazzling vision to behold. You’ll marvel at a panorama of cliffs rising up from the icy waters and small streams fed by melting mountain snow meandering through vast green plains. The bay itself bows inward to form a perfect crescent, indented by a torrent. During your excursion, you can follow in the footsteps of Ernest Shackleton or even encounter the 50,000 king penguin couples who call the island their home and whose densely-packed silhouettes form a remarkable silver swath with a sprinkling of brown and bright orange

Saint Andrews Bay

South Georgia

Facing out towards the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean, you'll safely disembark along Saint Andrews Bay with the assistance of your naturalist guides. This bay bears a gift that is sure to enchant photographers. From the bay's long grey-sand beach, home to abundant fur seals and elephant seals, you can easily access a vast glacial trough bordered by steep mountainsides and enclosed by Ross Glacier. Here, at the heart of this valley, lies the climax of your visit: the largest colony of king penguins on the South Georgia Islands. You'll be witness to a surreal visual and auditory experience: entire hillsides covered with adult penguins dutifully going back and forth from land to water in order to feed their young.

Grytviken

South Georgia

The Grytviken stopover is a highlight of South Georgia Island. This former whaling station, now a ghost town, is set against a serene backdrop of ochre-coloured earth. Vestiges of the whaling industry are still very much present, particularly old whale bones and remnants of shipwrecks. Grytviken's other historical point of interest is the grave of famous adventurer Sir Ernest Shackleton. During the legendary Endurance expedition (1914-1917) Shackleton and his men survived against all odds after having been trapped in pack ice for several months. The series of exploits leading to their rescue will remain forever etched in the annals of Antarctic exploration.

South Orkney Islands

More than 85% glaciated, these remote mountainous islands are hidden in the Southern Ocean, some 600 km from the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. The archipelago is composed of four main islands: Coronation Island, Signy Island, Powell Island and Laurie Island. Discovered in 1821 by seal hunters, they were also explored in 1823 by the British navigator James Weddel, who gave them their current name. Despite the ravages caused by whale and seal hunting, today a sizeable leopard seal population can be found there, along with chinstrap penguins and snow petrels. Laurie Island is home to an old scientific station that is still in operation.

The Gentoo penguin

The Gentoo stands out with its black and white coat, brightened by the reddish-orange of its feet. White triangles highlight its mischievous eyes. It is the third largest species of penguins in the Antarctic and generally weighs 5 kilos. Able to reach speeds of up to 35 km/h, it is renowned for being one of the fastest – if not the fastest – swimming penguins.

The humpback whale

The humpback whale is considered to be the most inquisitive mammal in the marine world and can reach up to 18 metres in length and 40 tonnes in weight. It is recognisable by its massive body, which is black on its dorsal side and white on its ventral side, and by the many tubercles or large bumps on its head. It is a very expressive animal, renowned for the long, plaintive and melodious songs the male uses to communicate during mating season. As this facetious acrobat is rather bold and, above all, very curious, it will gladly approach your ship to offer you an incredible show: its huge and powerful blue-tinged tail slaps the water surface, defying spectators and photographers. The humpback whale can also jump out of the water.

The Antarctic fur seal

Their small heads and short muzzles plus their large front flippers make these animals easy to identify. They are very social and favour windswept beaches, finding shelter in the surrounding rocks. These are carnivorous pinnipeds, just like seals and walruses (though the latter can only be found in the Arctic). Their external ears and their particularly mobile flippers, which they use to get around on land, distinguish fur seals from their cousins. In the water, they are real torpedoes. In the Antarctic Peninsula, only immature males are observed.

The elephant seal

This is the most impressive member of the seal family. The trunk to which it owes its name only develops in adult males, around the age of six. It is used as a call amplifier during the mating season. The males can reach over 6 metres and weigh close to 4 tonnes, whereas the females are half that size and do not exceed 800 kilos. Each year, elephant seals come ashore to mate, but also to moult. Their outer layer of skin and hair (“pelage”) is renewed in just 3 weeks. This is called a “catastrophic moult”: during this period, they are unable to feed and they shed their old skin in strips.

The king penguin

Populating certain subantarctic islands, king penguins are without a doubt the most majestic penguins. You will be able to observe them in South Georgia. They are easy to recognise thanks to the bright orange on their head and neck, their black dorsal plumage and their 90-centimetre height. They move around in colonies that can contain several thousand individuals. You’ll enjoy admiring this colourful horde in which adults and chicks co-exist in harmony.

The leopard seal

The leopard seal is one of the animals that is most emblematic of the Antarctic. It has special teeth that are described as tricuspid. These enable it to filter water and feed mainly on krill. It is a fearsome predator that also eats penguins. This solitary hunter can grow up to 3 metres in length; it owes its name to the spotted fur on its belly. Slim, lean and very agile, you may spot them in the wake of your boat. It is without a doubt the most inquisitive and the most impressive seal in the Antarctic.

The Adelie penguin

This penguin can only be found in the Antarctic. It was named in honour of Adèle, wife of the French polar explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville. A black heard with a white circle around the eye distinguish the Adelie penguin from its cousins. It enjoys lazing about on icebergs and drifting about on pieces of floating ice.

The Weddell seal

As you sail in the Weddell Sea, you are bound to encounter an animal that is emblematic of these parts: the Weddell seal. It has a small head with a short muzzle similar to that of a cat, and large hind flippers. The males of the species have dark grey fur, while the females’ coat ranges from beige to mottled dark grey. A skilled diver and swimmer, this placid animal is able to remain submerged for more than an hour when hunting. It feeds on krill, squid and small fish. A peaceful animal with an unusual and melodious song, it spends a major part of its days in the water or resting on the coastal ice or on land.

The chinstrap penguin

Renowned for its boldness and agility, the chinstrap penguin is considered to be the second most common species of penguin in the Antarctic Peninsula. Recognisable by the fine band of black feathers around its throat that inspired its name, it has white plumage on its belly and black on its back. When hunting, this excellent swimmer looks for food close to shore but can also dive to depths of up to 70 metres to catch its prey. When your ship stops in these parts, you will be able to see chinstrap penguins walking on land to reach their round nests made of small stones and pebbles, in which they lay two eggs per year.